Part 2
Magneto was not happy and when he wasn't happy no one was happy. He turned to the blond tied to a nearby chair.
"Well, my dear. It looks like your red headed friend will not be joining you as soon as I had planned."
Tara watched terrified as the man paced in front of her.
"I had hoped to have both of you welcomed into the brotherhood but you'll just have to be the first. Well, second if you count Senator Kelly." Magneto smiled at Tara, "Oh, don't fret. I'm not going to do to you what I did to the Senator. My mistake with him was that he wasn't ready. I picked a normal human to try to genetically leapfrog. No, that was a mistake that I plan on rectifying with you and Willow."
"H-how do you know about W-willow and me?"
Magneto smiled kindly at her, "The Gentlemen."
"W-what?"
"You two came to my attention with your defeat of the Gentlemen. From all accounts you weren't mutants yet you were able to thwart the Gentlemen."
"T-that was Buffy."
"Oh yes, the Slayer. She defeated them of course with her Slayer strength. But you two, two ordinary girls thwarted them. That's when I got my idea of turning those with special powers, so to speak. You're closer to mutants than you think so the radiation genetic leapfrogging that I intend to do SHOULDN'T kill you."
Tara shuddered at the 'shouldn't kill' phrase. She looked around for something to use as a weapon. She had only experimented with floating or moving things. It was only when she and Willow were terrified that their combined magicks were able to move the vending machine. Tara wryly thought that she was sufficiently terrified to move something now unfortunately there was nothing in the metal room.
Magneto watched amused as Tara's eyes darted around the room. He turned and walked to a raised platform.
"Prepare to embrace your future."
Magneto turned and faced Tara. Placing his hands on two pedestals the small metal rings began to turn. "You see, my dear. I made it smaller so I wouldn't tire out as quickly. Since I'm using people predisposed to the mutancy not as much radiation needs to be used, therefore isn't unnatural and won't cause your body to reject the new gene."
Tara willed herself to keep her eyes open. If she were going to die she would force this madman to look at her while he was doing it.
There was a glow of white light beginning to appear around the machine and as it glowed brighter it moved closer. Tara felt a tingling in her body not unlike a small electrical shock or like when your body wakes up from a numb feeling.
The rings began to slow down and the white glow began to dim. Magneto was tired but he was able to step down from the platform on his own, without help.
"Now that didn't hurt did it?"
~~~~
Remy looked over at Willow as she took her tea from the small microwave in the dorm room. It was nice to be with someone that you didn't have to watch your step around like he had to with Rogue. Rogue was definitely high maintenance.
Willow turned to him with a smile. "You sure I can't offer you anything?"
Remy smiled wolfishly, "Well, chere. Remy can tink of somethin' for you to offer."
Willow rolled her eyes and turned to her computer, "So what brings you and your friend to Sunnydale? The latest mutant bill?"
Remy paused before answering not sure how much to reveal. Too many years of hiding who he really was and keeping secrets to just tell someone, even someone like Willow, the truth.
Willow noticed his hesitation and averted her eyes back to the monitor. "I'm sorry. You don't need to answer that, it's none of my business anyway." Willow started typing on the keyboard to keep her mind and hands busy. "So what can you tell me about Sabertooth?"
Remy leaned down over Willow's shoulder reading her monitor.
"A friend told us we might find Victor Creed here. He's with Magneto and the Brotherhood."
Willow turned surprised eyes to Gambit, "Magneto? The same Magneto that went to prison because of trying to mutate New York a few years ago?"
"Same one. Magneto escaped and hasn't been heard of since."
Willow began typing, "Who's running the brotherhood in Magneto's absence or is that a naïve question and he's running it from wherever he is? Do you think Sabertooth was after Buffy?"
Remy contemplated Willow's question. He really didn't think so. He was afraid Creed had been after Willow. He and Wolverine had happened upon them when Giles told them Willow and Buffy were patrolling and where they might be. It was pure luck well, Logan's sense of smell, that brought them to the scene just in time to see Creed knock Buffy down and grab Willow.
"I don't tink so, chere. Remy tink mebbe Creed was after you."
"Me? Why me?"
Remy laid a hand on Willow's shoulder and squeezed, "Don't know but we'll find out. Mebbe we'll let the professor know that you might be the reason Creed was in Sunnydale."
Willow smiled, "Ah, so that's the reason you came. You were hunting a Sabertooth and it led you here."
Remy smiled crookedly and leaned in close to Willow, "Nah, that's why Logan's here. I'm here 'cause it's Sunnydale."
"Always wanted to see a Hellmouth?"
Remy's eyes widened, "There's a Hellmouth?"
Willow snorted, "Like a Cajun with a Voodoo priestess for an aunt didn't know that Sunnydale had a Hellmouth."
Gambit solemnly nodded but his eyes twinkled, "Now that you mention it. Remy kinda remembers his Tante talking about a mystical convergence happening somewhere around here."
"Especially a Tante that is very good friends with Giles."
Remy winked, "Especially." Remy leaned in closer but before he could complete the action Willow's dorm room door flew open and Buffy and Wolverine entered.
Buffy winced when she noticed Willow had jumped back at their entrance but the Cajun hottie was glowering at Logan beside her. They had obviously interrupted potential smoochies.
"Couldn't find Sabertooth?" Willow asked.
"No, we got interrupted by a group of vampires. Sniffer here lost the scent and then took his anger out on the vamps. You should have seen him, Will." Buffy beamed over at Wolverine who grunted in response.
Remy smiled. It was almost worth the interruption to hear Buffy call Wolverine, Sniffer. He'd have to remember that for later.
"What'd you find on the computer, anything?"
"Didn't look much. Remy thinks the Sabertooth guy might have been after me."
Buffy unconsciously went into battle stance. "Why?"
Logan looked over that the petite red head. "You know anything that would make someone put a hit out on you?"
"W-what? NO!"
"What about to get to Buffy?"
"You mean like get rid of the side kick and the hero goes into a depression and can't function? Doubt it."
Buffy was following Logan's train of thought. "But what if someone wanted me distracted. Kidnapping you would do it. Worked for the mayor."
Remy turned confused eyes to Willow and Buffy. "The mayor?"
"Yeah, we had a mayor that wanted to ascend to a snake demon-type thing."
Remy mentally rolled his eyes, like that explained anything. He'd have to get the story from Willow later.
"So this Victor Creed guy also hires out? That's just great. Now we don't know whether this is a hired out job or a Brotherhood job."
"Which is why we'll call the professor."
"This is the second time you've mentioned the professor. Who is he and why would he know which job this might be?"
Wolverine and Gambit exchanged looks and Wolverine slightly nodded.
"Professor Charles Xavier."
Willow's eyes got huge, "School for the Gifted, Charles Xavier?"
"Okay for those of us with no clue, who is this Charles Xavier?"
"He developed a school for the Gifted. It's very prestigious. My parents tried to get me in a long time ago but Mr. Xavier politely turned them down." Willow's smile slightly faltered at the memories of her parents blaming each other for Willow's inability to get into such a prestigious school.
Remy noticed the sadness creep in and wondered about it.
"Besides the school, the Professor has been working on mutant issues. He has resources to find out what Creed may be up to now that we have a possible reason for his being here."
